Measures have been tightened across China to control the spread of SARS as the number of cases rises in more areas.

The State Council decided Wednesday to set up a command center, headed by Vice Premier Wu Yi, to enhance nationwide efforts and coordination in fighting the disease.

The State Council also decided to set aside a fund of 2 billion yuan (US$242 million) to help low-income SARS patients.

Part of the fund will be used to purchase SARS-treating medical equipment for hospitals in the less-developed western regions.

Research efforts to combat the disease will also receive subsidies.

Prior to the State Council's meeting, the country has begun stepping up efforts to control the highly contagious disease.

In the capital city of Beijing, where 693 cases have been confirmed, the city's top official Tuesday urged an all-out effort to quarantine all potentially affected people.

Liu Qi, secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, Tuesday visited communities and the Central University for Nationalities in Haidian district, where a system of discovery, quarantine and treatment has been established and all 1.74 million residents have been monitored.

In the southern province of Guangdong, where the country's first SARS case was reported, the provincial capital of Guangzhou has set up a monitoring network.

To help those patients with financial problem, the government of North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has decided to offer financial help, decreeing that every patient should be admitted to hospital regardless of their financial circumstances.

Education departments in the eastern province of Zhejiang and its capital city of Hangzhou have started an emergency scheme in all schools to prevent a SARS outbreak. The province has so far found three imported cases of the disease.

Every school and kindergarten in Hangzhou has established its own SARS prevention and control team, responsible for disinfecting campuses and classrooms, supplying soap and increasing ventilation of classrooms.

All schools and kindergartens have started taking temperatures of students twice a day. Any person with a fever is to be hospitalized.

Universities have also launched similar schemes to ensure the safety and health of students and teachers.

In addition, China has taken measures to prevent price hikes in commodities and services related to SARS prevention. Beijing has issued a circular to set price limits for surgical masks, disinfectants and medicines believed to be effective for SARS prevention.

Guangdong Province has toughened price controls to avoid a second wave of price hikes on medicines and necessities. A price monitoring network has been established including a hotline for residents to report any case of price hikes.

 
Editor: Wings